Reticence
by Sumiregusa
Summary: "Looking out from the railing, Kaoru was glad to see Tokyo bay getting closer. She knew that once they all got home, everything would be okay. They would rest, eat and eventually everything would go back to normal again." Series of character study drabbles. Canon, post-jinchu, original manga, eventual KK.
1. Kaoru

Author note: Hello! Reposting due to popular demand, but with new and improved punctuation.

000

Something was horribly wrong.

Despite the injuries they had sustained, neither Kenshin, Yahiko or Sano would go below decks to be treated, and even Megumi seemed far happier with the prospect of being able to get on with healing them up here. Misao had become permanently attached to Kaorus sleeve and wouldn't let go. They were all watching her closely, looking relieved, but pained.

She was desperate to know what had passed while she had been in Enishi's custody, but this severe reaction from everyone had shaken her initial joy at being back with them again. They were obviously keeping something important from her, and they had all been treating her as though she was made of glass. It frightened her and made her wonder if she really wanted to know after all.

Looking out from the railing, Kaoru was glad to see Tokyo bay getting closer. She knew that once they all got home, everything would be okay. They would rest, eat and eventually everything would go back to normal again.

Feeling excitement at being nearly home bubble up inside her, she bounced happily and leaned out over the side. There was a cry and she was suddenly yanked backwards by Misao, who was clutching at her whole arm, looking petrified. Kaoru looked back down to her, confused, and quickly realised the cry had come from not one, but five different sets of lips.

She turned and saw Megumi, Yahiko, Kenshin and Sano had all taken a step towards her at this sudden movement, each face plastered with fear.

"Kaoru-San!" chirruped Misao from next to her, forcing her expression into a huge grin, but still holding her kimono sleeve as a small child might. "If you fell in, poor Aoshi-sama would have to jump in after you! Be careful!"

Kaoru turned back to the deck and watched as everyone settled back into their seats, looking awkward. The only person still watching her was Yahiko, who she was startled to see looked as if he might cry. Realising he had been caught, the boy looked at the floor, hands balled into fists on his knees, shaking slightly.

"Yahiko…?" Kaoru took an uncertain step towards him, not knowing whether to comfort him or let him be.

Suddenly, he stood and limped towards her, eyes still downcast, but shoulders set firmly. Kaoru stood rooted to the spot in shock as her usually cocky and arrogant student hugged her tightly around her waist and stood silently quaking, face buried in her kimono.

She could feel the weight of everyone's suppressed emotions pushing down hard on her as they stood in complete silence. Looking up at the others, she was disturbed to see that no one would meet her eye. Kaoru automatically focused her attention on Kenshin, and after a moment of silence, perforated only by the quiet sobs from Yahiko, he looked slowly back at her.

She couldn't read the impossible collection of emotions that flickered across his face, but somehow she understood that he couldn't speak of it. Sharp pain squeezed her chest as he looked away again.

Something was horribly wrong.


	2. Megumi

"Well, she seems okay to me. A little under nourished, perhaps, but nothing outwardly serious. I haven't had a chance to look at her properly yet, of course."

Megumi looked around the cabin and the tired, concerned faces hanging on her every word. Misao and Aoshi were still up on the decks, both to keep Kaoru out of the way while they held this conversation, and because the younger girl couldn't seem to bring herself to let go of her sleeve.

She wondered briefly how the sweaty, loud and ridiculously ungraceful Kaoru seemed to pull everyone to her so that they couldn't help but care about her, but quickly realized that she had been suckered in too. She glanced at Ken-San sat in the corner, looking exhausted but refusing to rest until this business was settled. Megumi knew she should hate her, but even after all their differences and everything that had happened, she still just couldn't.

"Do you think she needs a check up, then?" Sanosuke asked seriously, arms crossed over his broad chest. "She seems fine to me."

Megumi eyed him carefully, noticing that for all his nonchalance and swagger, he too was struggling to keep himself standing.

"It's best to check," she replied, hating herself for what she was about to say, but knowing it had to be considered. "She was alone on the island with that man for a long time. Who is to say what he may have done to her?"

A profound silence reverberated around the small room as everyone couldn't keep from thinking the worst at her dark words. She wanted to look at Ken-san, to throw herself at his feet and beg his forgiveness for suggesting such a thing, but instead focused her vacant stare at the far wall and waited for a reaction.

Strangely, it was Yahiko that broke the heavy silence.

"No," he said quietly, emotion choking him, "You can tell when... you can see it in their eyes... my Mother, she..."

Megumi forced herself to look at the boy as he tried to keep a handle on his feelings. She should have known better than to speak of such a thing in front of him. She knew enough about his past that it had been thoughtless of her to bring up such a topic, but also, with the exception of Ken-san, Yahiko had been the most obviously affected by Kaoru's apparent death.

Watching him struggle as he tried to finish his words, Megumi felt useless. Kaoru would have simply taken it in her stride and been able to make everything seem better, but she could only stand by, unsure of her actions, hating herself and feeling inadequate as usual.

"Yahiko is right," Ken-san interjected, causing her attention to shift to his still seated figure in the corner. "Kaoru-dono has not been violated in that way."

"Ken-san, you don't know that for sure!" Megumi spat out before she could stop herself. Her self-loathing tripled in its intensity, but she knew someone had to be realistic. Someone had to think of these things!

"But this one does know, Megumi-dono," he replied quietly, still not looking at her.

"How do you know? You can't say that for certain until I've looked at her properly! Kaoru is strong, and if she wanted to keep something back from you, she could do it easily! She hides much from you already!"

Megumi didn't know what had come over her, except that she was suddenly inexplicably furious with Ken-san. Her voice had become loud and high pitched, and she knew she sounded near demented, but she was so angry with him! How could he claim to see so much, and yet see so very little?

Her breath was shuddering painfully as she tried to control herself. She wanted to scream at him, to cry for both Kaoru and herself; the women that loved him and suffered for it.

Ken-san still didn't look at her though. He simply held up his hands in front of himself, staring at his palms in wonder.

He smiled softly.

"This one knows," he continued quietly, almost to himself. "Because when she smiles, when she looks at this one, it is with so much hope and innocence. Despite everything that she has gone through because of this one, she still wants... _me_ to stay with her."

Megumi felt the rage drain out of her at his words and the peaceful smile that graced his tired face.

He finally understood.


	3. Aoshi

At the time of Aoshi's madness, Himura had come to bring him back. Misao had begged it of him, something Aoshi hadn't wanted to hear at the time, or think about after.

Himura had been angry, and lectured him soundly for leaving the girl who cared for him to cry alone, before beating enough sense into him that he could see the error of his actions. He had been silently grateful for that, but after the battle, whilst Himura was healing at the Aoiya, he had learned of his own abandonment of Kamiya-san.

The man's hypocrisy had irritated him enough that once he had awoken from his injuries, Aoshi had retreated to the temple to meditate on things. He had sat there quietly, day after day, trying to quell the anger he felt at Himura's 'Holier Than Thou' attitude to Aoshi's mistakes.

Then he had seen it.

The guilt in the other man's eyes whenever he looked at Kamiya-san. The small flicker of it that crossed his face so quickly anyone without his extensive training in such things would have missed. The same guilt he knew touched his own features whenever he looked at Misao. The guilt of a man that loved where he shouldn't, and that was loved by someone he didn't deserve.

His anger had dissipated, and a silent understanding had formed between the two men.

He stood on the decks of the ship heading for Tokyo, watching Misao and Kamiya-san standing companionably by the railings, excited to see the land steadily approaching, making sure neither of them tried to interrupt the talks happening below. Himura had quite literally had to force himself away from the woman he had believed lost, and that he trusted Aoshi to be the one watching her in his absence spoke volumes.

He knew that Himura felt an intense gratitude towards him for discovering the 'doll' was just that, but he had shaken off the attempted thanks. Finding the doll, digging up her grave, burning the monstrosity, and destroying its creator were all things Himura would have never been able to do himself, even if he had not been eaten alive by his grief.

But he had not done it for Himura entirely. He had owed the man, and he now considered the debt repaid, but it had been for Kamiya-san that he had taken the chance. She was a good woman. A kind woman. She suffered constantly, it seemed, for daring to love a man who she shouldn't, who didn't deserve her.

Why? Why did she love him? How could she? He had done unspeakable things, things that she could have no true understanding of, and yet there she stood, laughing and happy. She had shown no anger towards him for being the root of her pains, only joy at seeing him.

It had been much the same way when he had returned to Misao. There had been no rage at his actions, only suppressed tears of delight at his return.

"Aoshi-sama!" she cried out suddenly, laughter lilting her voice. "Did you see that gull? He swooped down and grabbed a fish bigger than he is!"

Simple, clean pleasure radiated from the two of them as they watched the gull struggle with his catch and cheer him on as he flew away with it. A ghost of a smile played about his mouth at the two of them. They truly were kindred spirits. Two carefree, innocent women, who each loved a man that didn't deserve it, who they shouldn't, but did.


	4. Sano

Author note: Fair warning, this is Sano's chapter so there's a little coarse language. A very little!

000

Sano had always been a man that did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done. He had learnt from a young age that you had to take things into your own hands if you wanted to get anywhere in life.

He wasn't cynical about it, it wasn't in his nature to be so, but still he knew that you had to just knuckle down and get on with the dirty work. He had no problem with being up to his elbows in crap, but this was one dirty job he really didn't want.

The four of them sat in the dingy little cabin, silence pushing down as none of them said what needed to be said. They had come down to decide how they would tell Jou-chan what had passed when she had been kidnapped. It was a sticky situation, and there was no easy answer to the question. They had already decided that she wouldn't want to deal with something like that too publicly, so only one of them would take her to one side to explain things. The question was who.

Sano looked thoughtfully at his silent friends and considered the situation carefully. They needed to decide soon, or they would be at the harbour, and there could be nothing worse than little Jou-chan finding out from a shocked, horrified local. There would always be that one imbecile that would scream that she was an evil spirit or some bull like that. Sighing heavily, he automatically looked to Kenshin.

No way.

Kenshin couldn't do it. He was practically shattered anyway, barely moving, trying not to slump in the chair as his eyes glared pensively at the floor, and even if he wasn't, he was the worst choice for the job. By now, it was no secret how he felt about Jou-chan, and after the reaction his friend had to her 'death', talking about it, telling her and seeing her face as she heard the news, would just be cruel. Sano knew that Kenshin would do it if he had to, but in reality, it was out of the question. So who did that leave?

The kid was next on his list, but he dismissed that option almost quicker than he had Kenshin's candidacy. He was also an emotional wreck, and in fairness to the boy, he had been the only one strong enough not to give up when they had all left. Now it was all over, he had finally let it catch up to him, and more than any of them, he had earned his weakness. No, the kid was probably the last person to carry this burden.

Megumi? Sano's attention turned to the fox and his brow furrowed slightly in thought. The relationship between her and Jou-chan was a complicated one, but her little outburst earlier had proved that she cared for the girl. It had surprised him to hear her defend Kaoru so quickly and ferociously, especially against Kenshin, of all people. Then again, the friendship between the doctor and Jou-chan was awkward and delicate, and most likely, this information being shared between the two of them would result in more bad feeling.

This one feels this task was appointed to him," Kenshin spoke suddenly, causing them all to shift their stares to him, even as he continued to watch the floor as though it held all the answers. "Kaoru-dono, and all of you, were dragged into this business, despite that it was not your battle to fight. To now ask you to take up this burden is something this one has no wish to do."

"Ken-san, you can't-" began Megumi, but was quickly cut off by Kenshin holding up his damaged arm to her.

"This one should complete this task," he continued softly. "and yet..."

Kenshin finally lifted his head and looked directly at Sano. His eyes were almost pleading, full of the shame of a man that must reveal a weakness he couldn't bear.

"Shut up, fool," Sano told him gruffly, uncrossing his arms and pushing himself away from the table he was leaning against. "I'll talk to Jou-chan."

After all, he was a man that did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, and for the sake of his friends, he would willingly be up to his eyes in crap.


	5. Misao

"Hey Jou-Chan!" Sano's brash voice called, interrupting the laughter of Kaoru and Misao. "A word?"

Misao felt an icy fear slide down her spine at his words, and gripped Kaoru's arm closer to herself. So they had decided to tell her after all...

Seemingly oblivious to her sudden panic, Kaoru smiled and patted her hand companionably before trying to leave. Halting suddenly as the younger girl refused to let her go, she turned with questions lighting her eyes. Opening her mouth to speak, to explain her actions, Misao soon found that for the first time in her life, she had no words.

After all they had been through together, all the pain they had shared, all the laughter too, she couldn't help but feel that Kaoru was one of hers. She was her friend, her comrade, the big sister she had never had. They had both helped each other through the pain of being left behind, through the joy of being returned to, they had fought side by side and back to back, and they understood all the burdens of being a warrior that was not given the worth they deserved.

The world saw them as loud, stupid, tomboys that didn't fit in amongst the fighters, but weren't feminine enough to be at home practising Ikebana and Tea Ceremony. Only they saw each other as equals, looked through eyes of respect of fellow warriors, and yet still be able to do each others hair and gossip about girl things together.

Oh sure, she had been lucky to be surrounded by the other women of the Oniwabanshu, but they had practically raised her, and despite it all, still treated her as a child. Kaoru had never had the luxury of being accepted in that way though, and after their first awkward meeting, the two of them had clicked. They had shown each other the respect they each craved, had worked hard for, and had quickly become close. They understood one another.

Even now, as they each stared silently at the other, there was a flowing of unspoken knowledge and trust. Misao was afraid for Kaoru, and how she would take the news, but Kaoru wanted to know what had passed in her absence.

Blue eyes regarded blue eyes, and Misao saw the light of battle flickering brightly on the older woman's features.

She closed her mouth, and with a small smile, nodded and released the kimono sleeve.


	6. Saito

Saito had a good inkling of what was about to happen, and unable to contain his morbid curiosity, he had stood and walked silently to his own cracked doorway. About to open the door wider, he paused when he sensed another presence; stalking with practised ease along the dingy corridor, the Battosai stopped, apparently listening intently only a few doors away from where the other two were.

Interesting.

He watched with barely veiled amusement as his long-time enemy behaved the way a lovesick teenager might, his back braced against the damp wooden walls, hand clutching that useless piece of metal he insisted on carrying at his side, his eyes downcast and pained.

"Well, Jou-chan..." began a familiar brash voice, sounding uncharacteristically awkward. "I mean... Kaoru. I suppose you're wondering what took us so long to come get you, eh?"

They had left the door open, and while he had no problem hearing the annoyingly loud voice of rooster-head, he couldn't quite catch Kamiya's words. Battosai, however, was in a much better position, and judging from the small curve of his mouth, he could surmise the girl had come out with a suitable retort.

Oddly, he found himself feeling a tiny pinch of approval at her continual strength of character and untouchable pride. He would never admit it, of course, but he couldn't help but have a slight, very very slight, respect for her. This new Meiji era had destroyed a great many things he believed in, but now that it was here and he had chosen to live in it, he was glad to see that the warriors spirit was still strong, even in the new generation of females. Pity it seemed the best she could hope for now was to keep one of the broken Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu in check and teach the young a skill they might never use.

"When the smoke had cleared, and we found you in the Dojo..." The rooster's voice became so quiet, he couldn't make it out for a moment, before strengthening. "... We know it wasn't you know, Jou-chan, but then... it wasn't a pretty sight. I don't think I'll ever forget it. And Kenshin... well... I've never seen him like that, Jou-chan. I hope I never do again."

Saito watched through narrow eyes as Battosai covered his eyes with his hand, apparently haunted and ashamed by the memory. Any other man, and he might have felt some semblance of pity.

"Well, after that, I left," Sagara continued. "but according to Misao, it was Aoshi's idea to exhume your body. Yahiko gave permission and helped dig it up so they could test the theory..."

As the bird brain's voice prattled on nervously, Saito continued to watch Battosai through the crack in his door. Many people made the mistake of thinking he hated the ex-hitokiri because they had fought on opposite sides of the war, and although he suspected that was some of it for the younger man, it wasn't that way for him. Working as he did with the police force, he had cultivated some perfectly professional relationships with many of the rebels he had fought against. As far as he was concerned, so long as they comported themselves in an honourable way, he felt nothing for them. Not any more.

An almighty crash from the cabin down the hall jarred him from his dark thoughts, as the Kamiya girls voice raged. "Are you seriously telling me you left Yahiko, an eleven year old boy, by himself to run a Dojo? Is that what you're telling me? That for all your claims of being so strong and reliable, all the faith I have ever put in you, in Kenshin, has been so completely wrong? That in the event of my death, neither of you could even look after one little boy? … you! Get out! Get out of my sight!"

A vase came flying out of the doorway and crashed into tiny pieces as it hit the wall, and he watched with a smirk as Battosai slid silently into another cabin, leaving the door pulled to so that he could continue to listen to the enraged female screaming.

"Jou-chan! We thought you were dead!" Sagara fell out of the cabin door, eyes wide with fear, a barrage of small, hard items following him out, some hitting him, some missing.

"That makes it worse!" Screeched the girl, still inside the cabin. "The one thing I would have ever asked of any of you, and none of you could even manage that! Do you have any idea how horrible it is to leave a child alone like that? My little Yahi... I mean... My poor... My student! You... You! You thought I would be upset that you thought I was dead, that you didn't come get me right away, but not that you left that poor boy to take care of himself? You incompetent, thoughtless... get out!"

The cabin door slammed, but Saito could still hear her throwing things about, screams of incoherent fury reverberating from inside the room. Another amused smirk twisted Saito's features at the bewildered look on the rooster's face, and the expression of shame that touched them both as Battosai revealed himself from hiding.

Monotony of paperwork now lifted, and feeling suitably enlivened by the unfolding drama, Saito silently closed his door and went back to work. He hoped that next time he saw Battosai, he would be sporting a black eye at the very least.


	7. Yahiko

Yahiko quietly pushed open the cabin door, careful not to step on any of the broken glass of pottery that littered the floor. Kaoru was sat on the edge of a narrow bed with her back to the doorway, her furious screams having subsided to deathly silence. He had heard her shouting and despite his injuries had come running. Fear of losing her again drove his feet along the narrow corridor, only to find a petrified Sano and a penitent Kenshin sitting against the wall looking thoroughly dejected as Kaoru raged.

When Sano had told him that it was because they had left _him_ that she was so angry, Yahiko had known that the stupid rooster obviously hadn't explained anything right at all. He had waited with the two men until her rage had inevitably cooled down, and once the quiet had descended, he had entered the room without a word.

"You shouldn't be up, Yahiko." she spoke quietly, but patted the spot next to her for him to take a seat.

"How can anyone rest with all the racket you're making?" he chastised back, trying to lighten the mood. As he sat next to her, he was surprised when her arm carefully looped over his shoulder and pulled him to rest against her side. He knew that for appearances sake he should struggle and tell her to get the heck off him, but somehow, he couldn't find the energy for it right now. She was warm and alive, and he just would forget his normal disgust at being treated like a kid for now, just to reassure himself that Kaoru was really back.

"When we get back there's something I think we should take care of," her voice was quiet, but firm. "I never even considered what would happen if I died, Yahiko. I never considered what would happen to the Dojo, or to you in the event of an untimely death. It was... thoughtless of me."

"It doesn't matter, Kaoru," Yahiko interrupted, pulling away and looking up at her stony expression. "It won't ever happen again. We'll take care of you, alright? And don't worry about the Dojo, I won't just go off and forget about it, I promise."

She smiled at last and he was pleased to see some warmth return to her eyes, "I know you won't. That's why I want to make you my successor. I want to leave the Kamiya Dojo to you, and train you to one day be the Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."

Yahiko felt a weird tingling on his skin as she said those words, "Kaoru, you can't..."

"Of course I can," she replied indignantly. "I can do whatever I want, it's my Dojo. Now I want it to be _our _Dojo, Yahiko. You might be my only student, but I couldn't ever hope for a better one. You're better now than I ever was at your age, and you're still improving daily. It'll be a lot of hard work, and it won't happen for a long time, but I want you to know that the Kamiya Dojo is your home, and if you want it, your livelihood."

The two sat in silence for a long time while Yahiko processed what she had said. He was caught between being touched by her gift and uncertain that she was making the right choice.

"Kaoru," he started carefully. "wWhat if you have kids? What then?"

Much to his shock, she burst out laughing, "Yahiko, I'm not going to have any children! As if anyone would ever want this old Busu for a wife!"

"Are you serious?" he yelled, batting her hand away as she tried to ruffle his hair. "What about Kenshin?"

"What about Kenshin?" Kaoru repeated mildly, still smiling, but somehow falsely.

Annoyed with her lack of understanding, Yahiko jumped to his feet and stood in front of her. "If you don't realise how much he cares about you, then you really are stupid! It broke him, Kaoru! _Broke_ him!"

"He left you," she began, looking down at the floor. "Sano said..."

"Sano's an idiot!" Yahiko grabbed her shoulder and shook her, "Kaoru, he _did_ leave, but not in the way you're thinking. It was like he wasn't in his body any more. He just sat there and he wouldn't move or eat or let his wounds be treated... he blamed himself. He still does, I bet. It was like without you, he just died inside!"

There was a light of understanding dawning in her eyes, and with a quick glance at the closed door behind them, it changed to guilt.


	8. Kenshin

**Reticence** (_reserve_) the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary.

000

Kenshin stood at the stern of the ship as they grew close to Tokyo harbour. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky pink and orange, the vast ocean reflecting its bright hues like a shimmering mirror.

Despite the natural beauty before his eyes though, Kenshin's thoughts were dark. He had left the hallway almost as soon as Yahiko had entered the small room the Kaoru was hiding in, because he knew he couldn't stand to hear any more pain from her at the moment. The problem, the _real_ problem that he faced right now, was that Kaoru would forgive him.

She always did, and while it never ceased to amaze and touch him that she could do so, right now he knew her first reaction of anger had been the right one. Yahiko would talk her down though, make it sound like he had done something heroic or honourable rather than crumble from his weakness, and she would forgive him as she always did...

"Kenshin?" Kaoru's timid voice interrupted his dark thoughts, but he found he couldn't face her and smile as he would have liked to. Ever sensitive to his needs, however, Kaoru simply moved to stand beside him, looking out to the sea as he did. He could feel her fidgeting uncomfortably, but she held her silence, apparently unsure if she was bothering him. What had he ever done to deserve her?

"How are you feeling, Kaoru-dono?" he asked gently, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the dancing waves. Her fidgeting stopped almost instantly, and he could imagine the look on her face probably resembled a small child being caught doing something mischievous. The image made him smile before he had realised it.

"Kenshin, Yahiko told me what happened," she began, taking his smile, rather than his words, as an invite to speak. "I... I'm so sor-!"

"Do not, Kaoru-dono!" he cried before he could stop himself, cutting across her pained apology. She instantly fell silent and he looked up at her at last, hoping the horror he felt at having _her_ say she was sorry to _him _didn't show on his face. Luckily, she was looking down at her hands, clasped tightly together, and he wished he hadn't spoken so harshly. He just couldn't stand to hear her say those words to him, not after all that had passed.

Reaching out and taking her hand, their eyes met briefly before he turned back to the sea again. He didn't release her hand, however, and encouraged her closer to him. "There is nothing for you to apologise for, Kaoru-dono. Please, if it is alright, this one has no wish to speak of it."

He wanted to elaborate more, but found that his voice had died in his throat. He wanted to tell her that the wound was still raw. That he was simply too tired. That they didn't have time right now and would be docking soon. That Yahiko had glorified him, as usual. That she was far too kind, too forgiving, to perfect and untainted...

"Of course," Kaoru smiled from next to him, careful of his injuries whilst somehow managing to lean into him, the gentle pressure comforting. "It's fine if you'd rather not talk about it right now. It's been a long day, and you should rest."

"I am resting." he smiled, feeling more at ease in this moment of peace with her at his side than he had in a long while, and sensing it was the same for her.

Kenshin released a deep breath that he hadn't realised he'd been holding and squeezed her hand, still in his. As they stood silently together, simply enjoying being together, he shooed away his earlier thoughts of darkness. Kaoru completed him, and his own self-doubt would only hurt her in ways he could never allow. She would never hurt again, and certainly not because of him.

"Kaoru-dono, there is an apology I must make to you," he felt her tense at his words, and chose not to give her an opening to protest. "For my reticence. I have not told you things that I should have done."

He didn't look at her, but could hear the confusion in her voice. "Kenshin, what do you mean? Sano and Yahiko have told me everything that happened, haven't they?"

"No Kaoru-dono, that isn't what I meant." he could feel his face tingling with embarrassment, but still couldn't find the courage to look her way, or even clarify his point. He felt foolish. He put himself in all sorts of terrifying situations without so much as batting an eyelid, but this small woman had him quaking in his tabi.

"Kenshin?" her hand on his cheek was as soft as her voice, and as she guided him to face her at last, he didn't like the concern he saw.

Her blue eyes were huge in her face, a few strands of her dark hair escaping her customary ponytail and caught on her moist lips. Very cautiously, he swept them away with his spare hand, watching her carefully for any sign that he was overstepping boundaries, before mirroring her caress on his cheek with his own on hers. She smiled a little shyly, and as always, when Kaoru smiled, he found himself strung along and smiling with her. Leaning forward, he placed his lips very gently against hers in a chaste kiss, and fearing he would lose himself to her, he pulled away again.

He smiled again at the shock on her face at his actions. "There are things I should have been far clearer about."

~End.


End file.
